Chain-tightening device.



PATENTBD'PBB. 24', 190B.

E. J. OMALLBY. I CHAIN TIGHTENING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 31, 1901.

2 SHEETSSH EET 1 N0 MODEL.

I mysn'ron PATENTBD 'FEBi 24, 1903.

E. J. OMALLEY} CHAIN TIGHTENING DEVICE.

APPLIOJATION'IILED JULY 31', 1901 2 SHEETS-SHEET '2.

no MODEL.

al/4072a I: WIT Sm mVENToR WITNESSES H: "cams PETERS ca. Puma-Luna,WASHXNGTON, a. c.

I 15 looking toward the right.

UNIT D ST T PATENT OFFICE. I

' EDWARD J. OMALLEY, OFMOME'CHEN, WEST VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALFTO .I. E. WVRIGHT, OFJVHEELINGIWEST VIRGINIA; I

' CHAlN-TlGHT ENlN'G DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION formingoart of Letters Patent No. 721,635, dated February24, 1903. Application filed July 31, 19 01.1. Serial No. 70,354.: (Nbmate.)

To all whom it may concern; 7

Be it known that I, EDWARD J. OMALLEY, of McMechen, in the county ofMarshall and State of West Virginia, have invented a new;

5 and useful Chain-TighteningDevice,of which the followingisa full,clear,and exact description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, forming part of this specification, in which.

- '10 Figure 1 is a side elevation showing my in v vention applied tosprocket-chain driving mechanism. Fig. 2 is a similarview showing theparts in two different positions. Fig. 3 is a vertical section on theline X X of Fig. 5 Fig. 4 is a similar view looking toward the left, andFig. 5 is an end view of the device. 7 y

My invention relates to devices for taking up the slack in chains andflexible driving connections, and is'designed to provide a tightenerwhich may be operated while the chain is in motion without disturbingits connections and which acts upon one of the sprocketwheels over whichthe chain passes, no sepa- 25 rate idler being necessary. a In thedrawings, 2 represents a shaft'carrying a sprocket-wheel 3, over whichextends asprocket-chain 4, passing over a sprocket- 1 wheel 5 at theother end of its path. The

shaft 6, carrying the sprocket wheel 5, is

mounted in arms 7 which project in parallelism from apair of disks 8 and9. These disks loosely surround a driven shaft 10, which is mounted insuitable bearings, the disks being 3 mounted on side supports 11'. Theshaft carries a toothed wheel 12, intermeshing with a' on the innerorchain side of the disk and holds the arms 7 in any adjusted positionto I 5 which they are moved.

To turn or rock the disks',and thereby move the arms 7 to tighten thechain, I show the, disk 9 as provided with worm-teeth 16 on itsperiphery, which are engaged by a worm or screw 1'7, secured to shaft18, having an The disk 8 is provided outer sqnared ,portion 19 forapplication of a wrench.

\ In order to clamp the disks in their different adjusted positions, Iprovide them with arc-shaped slots 20, through which extend the 5 5screw-threaded stems 21, carrying hand-nuts 22. These stems are securedin standards 11 and project toward each other between the disks, asshown.

In operating the device when slack is to be taken up theclamping-nutsfor the disk are loosened and the worm-shaft is turned'with a wrench.This action turns the disks 8 and 9,.and consequently the arms 7,carrying the bearings for the shaft 6,are swung away from the shaft 2,thus tightening the chain. When the desired amount of tightening hasbeen obtained, the pawl 15 holds thearms in place and the disks areclamped by tightening the nuts 22. .By making theholes through the disklarger than the shaft 10 they are. prevented from exerting abinding'strain upon= it. The device alfords convenient'means for puttingon'or taking off the chain, since by loosening the nuts, throwing backthe pawl, and thenturning the screw in the other direction the arms 7may be rocked toward the shaft 2 into the position shown in dottedlinesin Fig.2.

Theadvantages of myinvention resultfrom 8o I I the mounting of thesprocket-wheel shaft upon aswinging or rocking support and in providingmeans for rocking this support, since a convenient mechanism is thusafforded by which the chain may be adjusted while inv motion withoutinterfering with its driving connections through the gear-wheels orother connections.

The sprocket-wheels may be placed upon the intermediate portions of theshaft, other mechanism may be used for rocking the arms carrying theshaft-bearings, and many other changes may be made without departingfrom my invention. The device may be applied to other endless drivemechanism, such as 9 5 belts or ropes, and I intend to cover the same bymy broader claims.

I claim 7 1. A driving-shaft, a counter-shaft having gear connectiontherewith, a chain-wheel on the counter-shaft, a pair of disksadjustable in a circular direction about the axis of the driving-shaft,projecting arms on the disks having bearings for the counter-shaft, andmeans for adjusting and clamping the disks; substantially as described.

2. Adriving-shaft,acounter-shaft,gear connections between the shafts, achain-wheel at the outer end of the counter-shaft, a pair of disksadjustable in a circular direction about the axis of thedriving-shaft,at least one of the disks surrounding said driving-shaft,supports for the disks independent of the driving-shaft, said diskshaving projecting arms carrying bearings for the counter-shaft, andmechanism for adjusting and clamping the disks; substantially asdescribed.

3. A driving-shaft having a toothed wheel, a counter-shaft having atoothed wheel engaging that of' the driving-shaft, a pair of disksadjustable in a circular direction, one of the disks surrounding thedriving-shaft, supports for the disks independent of the driving-shaft,both disks having projecting arms carrying bearings for thecounter-shaft, a worm-gear device engaging one of the disks, andmechanism for clamping the disks in adj usted position; substantially asdescribed.

4. A driving-shaft, a counter-shaft, gear connection between saidshafts,a pair of disks adjustable in a circular direction about the axisof the driving-shaft, supports for the disks independent of thedriving-shaft, said disks having projecting arms carrying bearings forthe counter-shaft, a worm engaging worm-teeth upon one of the disks, apawl engaging ratchet-teeth upon the other disk, and additional clampingmechanism for securing the disks in adjusted position; substantially asdescribed. v

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

EDWARD J. OMALLEY Witnesses:

GEORGE W. BARON, F. M. WORK.

